Electric self-winding master time clock



March 12, 1929. E. A. MEYER ELECTRIC SELF WINDING MASTER TIME CLOCK 4 SheetsSheet l Fild Sept. 17, 1923 5 01 gnumvfox II ID March 12, 1929. I MEYER 1,705,025

ELECTRIC'SELF WINDING MASTER TIME CLOCK Filed Sept.1'7, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 17 44- l 57 .56 if? 4- ,206 i E 45/? I 6140 544 5 511 1 f 1 J March 12, 1929. E. A. MEYER 1,705,025

ELECTRIC SELF WINDING MASTER TIME CLOCK Filed Sept. 17, 192:5 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fi Q13, I J ,4

I V Qa/OWLQW March 12, 1929. MEYER 1,705,025

- ELECTRIC SELF WINDING MASTER TIME CLOCK File i Sept- 17, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gnumufoz Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL AUGUST MEYER, F HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO MEYER ELECTRIC MANU- FACTURING (30., OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

ELECTRIC SELF-WINDING MASTER TIME CLOCK.

Application filed September 17, 1923. Serial No. 663,133.

The invention relates to an electric master time clock and more particularly to a weight operated electric master clock.

The usual types of electric time clocks are driven by a spring which is wound by an electric motor. This structure is disadvantageous in that the spring must be wound at frequent intervals and because a spring does not exert an altogether constant power to drive the clock.

For these reasons it is desirable to have a means for driving an electric clock which will not require frequent winding and which will exert a constant driving force to prevent variations in the time-keeping qualities of the master clock and the system of clocks which it controls.

Another disadvantage of the structure of the usual electric master clock resides in the circ it making means whereby the electric impulse is given the secondary clocks. The contact member usually moves slowly to and from circuit closing position with the result that an arc may be set up between the moving and fixed contacts and the slow movement of the circuit closer wastes current as a momentary contact should be entirely suflicient to actuate the secondary clocks.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an electric master clock which is so constructed that it need only be wound at comparatively long intervals. This object is attained by the use of weight power which, being constant, needs only to move very slowly. As the weight power is constant the clock cannot vary and the downward movementof the weight is so slow as to re quire rewinding only at comparatively infrequent intervals, usually but twice in twentyfonr hours.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange the circuit making mechanism by which the secondary clocks are actuated or controlled that the movement of the circuit making contact will be very rapid so that but a momentary closure of the secondary clock circuit will occur. Destructive arcing will thus be prevented and an appreciable saving will be effected in the amount of current used and in the cost of upkeep of the system.

Another important object is the provision of novel and efiicient means by which the weight which operates the clock also actuates or controls mechanism for rewinding the clock.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanymg drawings, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the master clock casing showing the master clock mechanism in front elevation,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, M

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the central arbor taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

F 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken 011 the line 6-6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rewind controlling mechanism shown as in the driving position of the clockwork mechanism,

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the winding motor switch operating lever shown as in open or driving position of the clockwork mechanism,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged front elevation of the rewind controlling mechanism shown as in winding position of the clockwork mechamsm,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the circuit making operating mechanism controlling the secondary clock circuits,

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the contact tripping or operating lever shown in Fig. 10 taken as in open position of the secondary clock circuit, and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 taken as in tripping position of the tripping lever.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 10 indicates a supporting plate on which the clockwork mechanism is carried. A front. frame 11 and rear frame 12 are carried on plate 10 and are suitably connected by screw or bolt fastening members. A central arbor 13 is journaled between. the frames 11 and 12 at the lower portion of the frames and a second or intermediate arbor 14, a third or an escapement arbor 15 and a pallet arbor 16 are successively arranged between the frames 11 and 12 above the central arbor 13. he central arbor 13 carries the usual wheel 17 which meshes with a pinion 18 on arbor 14 to drive a pinion 19. The pinion 19 is provided with a plurality of forwardly extending pins 19 whereby it actuates a circuit making operating mechanism 101, by means of which the electric impulse is given the secondary clock system, as will be hereinafter described.

Pinion 19 also meshes with a pinion 26 carried on the escz'ipenicnt arbor .15 and is thus controlled by the escapement wheel 21 carried by the latter. Pallet arms 22 are carried on arbor 16 and arbor 16 extends past the rearframe 12, as shown in Fig. 3 and 'is provided with a suitable pendulum 23.

A winding drum 24 is rotatably mounted or free on the central arbor 13 in front of the central wheel 17 and has a cord or the like 25 fastened to its periphery. The cord 25 extends down through the supporting plate 10 and carries a weight 26 at its free end. As stated, drum 24 is free on arbor 13 but it carries a ratchet rim or disc 27 on its face adjacent the wheel-17 and the wheel 17 carries a pawl 28 which adapted to engage the rim 27, all as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. By this arrangement, when the drum 24 is moving in a clockwise direction and the weight 26 is unwinding, the central wheel 17 will also rotate because the pawl 28 will then engage the ratchet disc 27, but when the drum moves in the opposite direction, as when the cord is wound upon it, as will be hereinafter explained, the central wheel 17 will not be moved because the pawl 28 will ride over the teeth of ratchet disc 27.

A crown wheel 29 is fixed to the front side of the drum 24. Crown wheel 29 meshes with a pinion 30 which is fixed to the inner end of a sleeve 31 rotatably carried on a shaft 32 as shown in Fig. 9. The shaft of an electric winding motor 33' is connected to the shaft 32 by a bolted flange connection or any other suitable coupling. Sleeve 31 and shaft 32 are suitably journalcd in uprights 34 as shown.

A clutch 35 is provided for the purpose of furnishing a driving connection between the sleeve 31 and shaft 32 and motor 33. Clutch 35 comprises two interlocking faces or discs 36 and 37, the former fixed to the outer end of sleeve 31 and the latter carried on shaft 32 adjacent'the outer end of sleeve 31. Disc 37 is slidable on keyways 38 on shaft 32. A clutch operating lever 40 is fixed to a shaft 42 carried in journals 43 below supporting plate 10 and projects up through a slot 52 in plate 10. The upper end 41 of lever 40 is forked and fits in a circumferential groove 44 about the disc 37.

The clutch operating lever 40 is arranged to hold the face out of engagement with face 36 during the downward movement of the weight 26. During this downward movement the weight 26 will therefore rotate the drum 24 and the pawl and ratchet connection 27-28 between drum 24 and central wheel 17 will cause the latter to rotate and thus the entire clockwork mechanism will be operated in the usual manner.

hen the weight 26 reaches the limit of its downward and driving movement it will bear upon the center portion of a lever 53 which is fulcrumed at 54 to the bottom wall of the master clock case 55. The free end 56 of lever 53 is connected by a chain or rod 57 to, a bell-crank lever 58 journaled at 59 to the lower side of supportin plate 10. The opposite end 68 of bell-crank 58 normally bears upon a pin 60 carried by a lever 61 which is fixed to the clutch lever shaft 42.

The opposite end 62 of lever 61 is slotted at 69. and the weight carrying cord passes through this slot. A winding motor switch operating lever 63 is also fixed to shaft 42.

A coil spring 67 has one end attached to the lever 63 and the opposite end fixed to plate 10 with the result that it tends to rotate shaft 42 to move the clutch operating lever 40. This is normally prevented by the fact that the end 68 of bell-crank 58 bears on the pins 60 of lever 61;

Switch operating lever 63 carries a roller 64 of non-conducting n'ia'terial and is adapted to be swung upwardly to move the free end of a lower spring contact member 65 up against a second contact member 65, both of which are carried. by but insulated from the supporting plate 10. These contact members 65 and 65 are in circuit with batteries or any other source of current66 and with the winding motor 33.

The mode of operation whereby the clock mechanism operates, is as follows: VVh'en the weight 26 is moving downwardly, the clutch face 37 out of engagement with face 36 and pinion 30 will rotate freely with crown. gear 29 and drum 24. The pawl and ratchet connection 2728 between drum 24 and central wheel 17 will serve to drive the latter and the entire clock mechanism will be operated. lVhen the weight 26 reaches the limit of its downward movement it will bear upon the lever 53 and the connection 57 between lever 53 and bell-crank 58' will also cause the bell-crank to be moved to swing its opposite end 68 out of'the path of pin 60. This will free the lever 61 and the shaft 42 and the latter will be rotated by the spring 67 to move the slotted end 62 of lever 61 downwardly and at the same time move the clutch operating lever 40 to slide face 37 in engagement with face 36, closing clutch 35 and thus establishing a driving connection between winding motor 33 and crown gear 29 and drum 24. The rotation of shaft 42 will, at

the same time, move the switch operating lever 63 upwardly so that the contact members 65 and 65 will be pressed together to close the winding motor circuit. Motor 33 is arranged to drive the shaft 32 and sleeve 31 in such a direction as to rotate the crown gear 29 and drum 24 in a couliter-clockwise direction to wind up the weight cord 25. 1V hen moving in a comiter-clockwise direction, pawl 28 will ride over the teeth of ratchet 27 and drum 21 will lnwe no driving connection with central wheel. 17. It will be understood that any well-known means may be used for momentarily driving the central wheel 17 in a clockwise direction while the weight cord 25 is being re-wound upon drum 24c. 'hcn the weight 26 winds upward on drmn 21 to the point where it will strike the end 62 of lever 61 it will move the latter to rotate shaft 42 to its normal position and the upper end of clutch lever 40 will be moved to slide face 37 out of engagement with face 30, opening clutch 35 and thus breaking the driving connection between motor 33 and drum 24. In assuming its normal. position shaft 412 will also move the motor switch operating lever 63 to permit the spring contacts 65 and 65 to move apart and the winding motor will stop. The weight 26 will of course move downwardly as soon as clutch 35 is opened and the clock mechanism will resume normal operation.

As heretofore explained, the pinion 19 of the clockwork mechanism is provided with a plurality of forwardly extending pins 19 whereby a circuit making operating mechanism 101 controlling the secondary clock circuits is actuated. This circuit making mechanism is described and claimed in my divisional and co-pending application Serial No. 746,575, entitled Contact making devices for secondary clock systems.

The circuit making operating mechanism 101 comprises a jointed lever device 102 carried on a shaft 103 journaled in front plate 11 and rear plate 12 and extending through the latter to carry a weighted lever 104, the weight being indicated by the numeral 105. In normal position, the weighted lever 104 will bear against a stop 106 and jointed lever 102 will assume a position accordingly. The jointed lever device 102 is composed of two lovers 107 and 108. the first of these being carried on the shaft 103 and having one end 109 arranged in the path of the pins 19 while its opposite and outer end 110 carries a stud 111 on its forward side on which is loosely mounted a collar 112 to which is fixed the second or tripping lever 108 of the jointed lever device 102.

Tripping lever 108 is relatively short and the upper side of its outer leg 114 may be rounded as shown. The lower side 113 of this outer leg is flat and extends approximate ly radially from the collar 112. The central portion of lever 108 is rounded. The upper side of the inner leg 115 of lever 108 normally bears against a pin 116 carried by the first lever 107 just inwardly from stud 111. A weighted arm 132 fixed to the forward end of collar 112 serves to normally hold the inner leg 115 of tripping lever 108 in this position, as shown in Fig. 11.

A vertical arm 117 is carried by a shaft 118 journaled between two projecting arms 119 of the frames 11 and Arm 117 carries a. block at itslower end in the path of downward movcanent of 108. This block 125 is liat on its upper side but the inner and under surface 120 tapers away from lever 108, as shown. The shaft 118 also carries a lever 119 which has a weight 120 on its outer end which tends to hold the inner end 121 up against a pin or suitable stop 12 on frame 11. A downwardly eX- tending contact blade or arm 123 is fixed to the lever 119 and in the normal position of the lever 119, that is, when the weighted end 120 forces the inner end 121 up against stop 122, the contact arm 123 will be out of contact with a carbon or other suitable contact block 124: which is carried by but insulated from frame 11 in the path of the arm 123.

Contact block 12 1- is connected at 183 to a wire 13% leading to a battery or other source of current 127. The other lead 128 from the battery 127 is connected to a series of secondary clocks 201 and these clocks are connected by a lead 130 to the frame 11 of the clockwork mechanism as at 131.

The operation of the circuit-making operating mechanism 101 for the SQCOllCltl) clocks as follows: As shown in Fig. 11, the rotation of pinion 19 will cause the pins 19 to move against the inner end 109 of the first lever 107 of jointed lever 102 at intervals of one minute at which time they will lower the outer end 110 of lever 107. This downward movement will cause the tripping lever 108 to swing on the stud 111 so that its outer leg 114 will raise and slide oil of the top of block 125, its weight being insufiicicnt to move arm 117 out of its path. At the point of movetrip ping lever mcnt when the tip of outer 114 ready to entirely drop from the block 125, as shown in Fig. 12, the inner end 109 of the first lever 107 will drop from the pin 19 which is moving it and the weighted lever 105 will drop against stop 106. This will impart a sudden upward movement to the outer end of lever 107 and will. move tripping lever 108 upward and outward and at the same time be moved to its normal position by the sudden dropping of the weighted arm 116, with the result that block and lever 117 will be gi en a sudden movement outward and this movement will be imparted through shaft 118 to the contact arm 123 moving the latter to contact with carbon block 124, thus send ing a momentary impulse to the armature coils of the secondary clocks 201. Levers 107 and 108 will continue their movement to normal position and the weight 120 will move 1. In a clock, driving means therefor,

means for re-winding said driving means ineluding a motor circuit, a clutch vconn'eetlon' between said driving means and saidre-Wmding means, spring-actuated lever adapted to close said lutel'i connection and said motor circuit, means to normally hold said lever against the action of the actuating spring, means to release said lever operated by said driving means when the latter reaches its limit of driving movement, said lever being moved to normal position by the return of the driving means to initial driving position.

2. In a clock, driving means therefor,

means for re rinding said driving means in cluding a motor circuit, a clutch connection between said driving means and said rewinding means, a lever adapted to close said clutch connection and said motor circuit, means to move said hold said lever against the action of said moving means, means to release said lever operated by said driving means when the latter reaches its limit of driving movement,

lever, means to normally said lever being moved to normal position by the return of the driving means to initial. driving position.

EMIL AUGUST MEYER. 

